Romance Across the Ages by Willard E. Hawkins - Chapter 01

1940 Genre: Short Science Fantasy Pulp story

CHAPTER I

The Searcher

DUR 137-998 was at no pains to conceal his annoyance when the placid, pear-shaped countenance of Quintus 76-962-43 finally appeared on the visi-screen.

''What delayed you?'' he demanded.

''After calling me, you kept me waiting a full ten sectors.''

''I have been engaged in writing a love letter,'' returned Quintus. ''I desire your opinion upon its effectiveness The letter is addressed to—''

''Stop!'' shrilled Dur. ''Do you expect me to waste my time listening to such drivel?''

''Please, Dur—I have a reason,'' Quintus protested anxiously in his piping, high-pitched voice.

Reluctantly Dur read the letter that Quintus held before the screen.

Adored one: To you, whose vibrations accord so perfectly with my own that the finest instruments can detect no dissonance, I indite these words of appreciation. Throughout the Universe shall there be no more harmonious blending of vibrations than ours.

Even the classic mating of Drixnar 83-272-11 and Mir Dufa 25-938-99, which in some of its phases attained perfection of harmony to seven decimal points, will fade into insignificance beside ours.

For without malice, but purely in the spirit of scientific discussion, I may point out that there were theoretical dissonances in the full equation of their personalities.

In our union it will be possible to detect no dissonances down to the eighth decimal point. Thus it will stand unquestioned as not only the most perfect mating known to science, but the most perfect that can be conceived. To prove this, I need only to point out that beyond the eighth decimal point the most delicate instruments, combined with the most extreme amplification, would be unable to detect a hypothetical lack of synchronization.

My impatience for the happy alliance predicated by these mathematical auguries knows no bounds.

Your devoted vibrational complement, Quintus 76-962-43.

WHEN Dur finished reading, he found Quintus staring at him inquiringly .

''Sentimental slush!!'' growled Dur.

''It has all the faults common to such compositions—especially maudlin exaggeration. If the truth be known, you are lucky if the Mating Bureau has found you a feminine complement .

within the eighty per cent range of compatibility.

''On the contrary,'' returned Quintt1s placidly. ''This is not the usual exaggeration of a lovesick swain, but a mathematically correct statement."

Dur stared. '"Where,'' he demanded skeptically, ''did the Bureau discover a mate of such unprecedented coordinates?''

''The Bureatt did not locate her.''

''Then this is all a joke? Y ou waste my time with this nonsense„"

''Calm yourself, Dur. It is true, I consulted the Mating Bureau. You may know something of the procedure.''

''Certainly I know the procedure!

The microfilm record of your vibrational equation is fed into the scanning machine. That automatically selects, from the millions of feminine recordings, all that are complementary to it within a predetermined range. You are given a visi-screen interview with the highest on the list. If mating arrangements are not convenient with the first choice, the next is tested, and so on, until a mutually satisfactory interview takes place. A perfect system, scientifically and mechanically., Freedom of choice, yet sanely controlled."

''Theoretically perfect, yes!'' Quintus retorted. ''But would you assert that all our matings are blissfully harmonious?''

''Of course not. But at least you have the consolation of knowing that you found the most nearly harmonious mate available. Do I understand that the Mating Bureau found no partner for you within the range of tolerance?'' Quintus hesitated. A faint color suffused his face.

"They found a vibration they deemed suitable," he admitted. ''The percentage rating was ninety-six point seven."

''Incredibly high!'' exclaimed Dur.

Then he chuckled. ''The same old story, I suppose. She was either an old crone of some three hundred years, on the verge of euthanasia, or else still in the incubator.'' Again Quintus colored. ''No. She was of suitable age."

"Then what are you hesitating for?''

''Perfection.''

''An impossible dream. Since you have proved it unattainable, why not make the best of things?''

"I have not proved it unattainable,'' returned Quintus with some heat. In fact—" He broke off

''Dur, will you come to my laboratory? I have something to show you."

A frown creased Dur's high-domed brow.

''I am very busy.''

"I know."

Quintus waited expectantly.

Dur shrugged. ''Very well. Look for me in twenty sectors.''

QUINTUS 76-962-43 was making the final adjustments in his apparatus when a helicopter from the nearby stratoport deposited Dur on his roof landing.

As he entered the laboratory, Dur's attention focused at once on the mechanism at which his friend was engaged.

It was a complicated affair of glowing tubes, grids, and intricate devices beyond the comprehension of any except an advanced scientist. In spite of himself, Dur's eyes lighted with interest.

"I did not know whether I would find Quintus the dreamy lover or Quintus the scientist,'' he observed sardonically. "It is a relief to find the latter. What is this? It looks like a madman's dream of an interplanetary radio receptor. Obviously a beam-directing device of some sort."

"In a sense,'' responded Quintus calmly, "it is I."

''Explain. I have no patience for riddles.''

"It projects a beam of energy which duplicates the vibrations of my personality formula. Yet, more than this, it is a search beam."

Dur bent over the contrivance with close attention.

''Very ingenious," he acknowledged grudgingly, ''although the principle is far from new.''

"I claim no novelty for the basic principle. You will note that I have incorporated the response phase developed by Indo Rur, forty-six-four thousand-two. It makes a beam receptive to vibrations at the point of focus and returns them to its source.''

''I know," Dur commented impatiently.

''It is in common use, to detect mineral or other deposits, to supplement spectroscopic readings, to war n of meteors in the path of space vessels, and the like. What is your application?''

''When my beam impinges on a complementary personality, it returns the vibration and registers the degree of harmony with my own. Let me demonstrate.""

Quintus made various adjustments with his delicate fingers. A faint whirring sound could be detected. The tone color of certain glowing tubes altered subtly. A group of wheels beneath the main focusing standard merged almost into invisibility with the speed of their revolutions.

''The beam is now scanning the world's surface,'' explained Quintus.

''It will complete its scanning in approximately nine sectors. However, it will pause automatically and hold the focus, on impinging upon a vibration which is complementary to my own within any specified degree of tolerance. I have set it for eighty per cent. Watch closely."

Scarcely had he spoken when the transparent face of an indicator became illuminated.

''It has found a possible mate for me,'' commented Quintus. He consulted the directional scale. ''She is located at North Latitude thirty-six-sixteen-thirty, West Longitude seventy-six-eleven-twelve. The light meter shows her vibrational correspondence with my ideal to be eighty-three point seven per cent. Which, I may add, checks with the Mating Bureau report."

''Is your beam capable of scanning other planets?''

''Obviously. But what could married life offer with a mate who perhaps would be entirely inhuman? She might even be forced to spend her life in a tank of ammonia, provided she consented to join me here.''

DUR had listened only abstractedly, more interested in the device than in what his friend was saying.

''Then for get your love-sick dreams. You have proved that your ideal doesn't exist on Earth—and you can't have her if she lives elsewhere. Where in the name of all the galaxies do you expect to find her?

"In the past,'' replied Quintus soberly.

"In the what?''

"You understood me. Sometime, on this very planet, I am convinced, there must have existed the ultra-fortuitous blend of characteristics required to complement my own."

Dur glanced at him sharply.

''Why have you dragged me into this?'' he demanded.

''Already you suspect the reason. As the greatest living authority on time-space physics, your help is vital to me."

Dur accepted the tribute as his due.

''But surely,'' he exclaimed, ''you must be aware that time travel—even the transfer of inert matter—is in its infancy, scarcely beyond the theoretical stage.''

''You have sent objects into the past.

True, but our efforts to drag substances from the past into the present have not met with great encouragement.'' Quintus nodded.

''And if you will forgive my suggesting it, your failure is due to one fatal oversight. If you were dredging the ocean, or drilling through the rock for some buried object, what would you do first?''

''Naturally,'' replied Dur, somewhat nettled, "I would first locate the object with a search ray similar to your—'' He broke off. "Is that what you refer to?''

''Exactly. You have been probing blindly into the past. Little wonder that such fumbling methods brought few results. A grappling device sent thus blindly toward the bottom of the ocean would be more likely to come up empty, or clutching worthless slime.

Combine my search beam with your time-transfer principle, and you will have something, Dur.''

''Combine it? How?''

''That is a problem which I expect you to solve.''

"But it involves enormous difficulties!'' Quintus glanced artfully at his companion.

''It may be that Gruno, eight-sixty-seven-fourteen-three, would be the better man for me to consult. His paper before the Junior Scientific Institute showed him to be a coming authority on time-space physics."

"That upstart? His paper was a mess of fallacies! I am surprised, Quintus, at your being taken in by it. You were right in turning to me. In fact, even now, I seen a potential application of your principle. Give me five days and I promise you—"

Already Dur was hurrying from the room.

Quintus smiled placidly as he closed the power circuit of his instrument.

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